Lonicera Plant Named &#39;GRLN02&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Lonicera plant named ‘GRLN02’ that is characterized by its evergreen, winter hardy habit, its very dense, well-branched growth habit that is easy to shape, its foliage that is glossy, fine and dark green in color with new shoots that are purple in color, its clean foliage with no disease problems, its vigorous growth habit.

Botanical classification: Lonicera nitida.

Variety denomination: ‘GRLN02’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to European Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) Plant Breeder's Rights Application No. 2020/0659 filed on Mar. 5, 2020 under 35 U.S.C. 119(f), the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein. This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for plants derived from the same breeding program that are entitled Lonicera Plant Named ‘GRLN01’ (U.S. Plant Patent pending)* and Lonicera Plant Named ‘GRLN03’ (U.S. Plant Patent pending)*. *(Applicant gives the examiner the authority to replace the U.S. Plant Patent pending with an Application No. or Patent No. if applicable and delete this statement.)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lonicera nitida and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘GRLN02’. ‘GRLN02’ is a new cultivar of boxleaf honeysuckle, an evergreen shrub grown for use as an ornamental landscape plant.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor at his nursery in Valkenburg, The Netherlands. The overall purpose of the breeding program is to make selections of Lonicera plants with new leaf colors and dense foliage. ‘GRLN02’ arose from crosses made in 2014 with Lonicera nitida ‘Red Tips’ (not patented) as the female parent and an unpatented and unnamed proprietary plants of Lonicera nitida from the Inventor's breeding program as the male parent. The seeds were pooled for the crosses and therefore the male parent is unknown. ‘GRLN02’ was selected as a single unique plant in 2015 from amongst the seedlings derived from the above crosses.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor using softwood stem cuttings in 2015 in Valkenburg, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by softwood cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘GRLN02’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Lonicera.

-   -   1. ‘GRLN02’ exhibits an evergreen, winter hardy habit.     -   2. ‘GRLN02’ exhibits a very dense, well-branched growth habit         that is easy to shape.     -   3. ‘GRLN02’ exhibits foliage that is glossy, fine and dark green         in color with new shoots that are purple in color.     -   4. ‘GRLN02’ exhibits clean foliage with no disease problems.     -   5. ‘GRLN02’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit.

The parent plant, ‘Red Tips’, differs from ‘GRLN02’ in having new shoots that are burgundy in color and has a less dense, less branching habit. ‘GRLN02’ can also be compared to the Lonicera nitida cultivar ‘Tidy Tips’ (not patented). ‘Tidy Tips’ differs from ‘GRLN02’ in having a slower growing habit, new shoots that are bronze in color, winter foliage that is red in color, and leaves that are smaller in size. ‘GRLN01’ differs from ‘GRLN02’ in having new shoots that stay green in color. ‘GRLN03’ differs from ‘GRLN02’ in having new foliage shoots that are orange-brown in color.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date. Disclosures include but may not be limited to website listings by Plantipp (inventor's representative), Plantarium digital expo, Green Leaf, About Plants Zundert, Flor Access, and Nova photo graphic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrates the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Lonicera. The photographs were taken of a 7-month-old plant of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a 17-cm container in Wernhout, The Netherlands. The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘GRLN02’. The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a side view of the branches and foliage of ‘GRLN02’. The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digital photography and printing techniques utilized and the color codes in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the new Lonicera.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 7-month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 17-cm containers in Wernhout, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with the 2015 Colour Chart of the Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Plant type.—Evergreen shrub.         -   Plant habit.—Upright, well-branched.         -   Plant size.—Average of 47 cm in height and 52 cm in spread             as grown in a 17-cm container.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least hardy to U.S.D.A. Zone 6.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to             diseases or pests has been identified, however the plants             grown have been observed to be disease and pest free.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings.         -   Root development.—Cuttings initiate roots in about 6 weeks             and fully develop as a young rooted plant in 4 to 5 months             in a 1.5 liter pot.         -   Growth rate.—Vigorous. -   Stem description:     -   -   Shape.—Rounded.         -   Stem color.—New growth; upper and lower side 83A, tips N77A,             mature bark; upper and lower side 83A, base N199A.         -   Stem quantity.—Average of 3 main branches, each with an             average of 22 lateral branches.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Stem size.—Main; average of 42 cm in length and 2 mm in             diameter, lateral branches; 7.2 cm in length and 1 mm in             diameter.         -   Stem surface.—Matte and slightly pubescent.         -   Internode length.—Average of 2 cm.         -   Branching.—Densely branched, lateral branches held at an             average angle of 40° to main branches. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Obtuse to rounded.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute to rounded.         -   Leaf fragrance.—None.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, young upper and lower side N77A,             mature upper and lower side 144A.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous and glossy on both surfaces.         -   Leaf size.—Average of 1.2 cm in length and 9 mm in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 44 (22 pairs) per branch.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface N77A, young lower surface             144A, flushed with N77A, mature upper surface 137A, mature             lower surface 144A, fall and winter foliage upper and lower             surface; similar to mature foliage.         -   Petioles.—About 1.5 mm in length, 1 mm in width, glabrous             surface, color; 144A, flushed with N77A.         -   Stipules.—About 1.5 mm in length, 1 mm in width, glabrous             surface, color; 83A, base N199A. -   Inflorescence description: Flowers and seed production have not been     observed to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lonicera plant named ‘GRLN02’ as herein illustrated and described. 